We know how Shreyas Iyer has been given the vice-captaincy: Ex-Indian wicketkeeper

Former Indian keeper-batter Parthiv Patel has heaped praise on the Indian ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, who scored a 61-run knock off 77 balls in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, October 23.

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Speaking exclusively on Star Sports, Parthiv asserted that Iyer came out to bat under extreme pressure when India lost two important wickets. Just when two senior players were needed to stand out there and stitch a partnership, Iyer scored crucial runs, forming a big partnership with Rohit Sharma.

"He came to bat under pressure. We know how Shreyas has been given the vice-captaincy. Considering the rhythm with which he is batting, you want to bat well, and you needed two senior players to stand there," Parthiv Patel said on Star Sports. 

 "Rohit and Shreyas together added 118 runs. However, the intent was extremely necessary there. If you look at Shreyas, if the ball was full, he was playing square off the wicket, and whenever the length was short, we also saw the pull shot," Parthiv added.

For the unversed, Iyer came to bat when India were 17/2 after Virat Kohli's four-ball duck. He formed a 118-run stand with the opening batter Rohit Sharma. Pathiv Patel reckoned that Rohit and Iyer's stand put Australian bowlers in trouble. However, India eventually suffered a two-wicket defeat to lose the series 0-2.

"You need to show the bowlers that you will put them under pressure, that you are looking for runs. Both Rohit and Shreyas batted with that intent, especially when Mitchell Starc came and the bowling was outside the off-stump, there was no hesitation in playing the big shots," he concluded. 

After the conclusion of the ODI series, India will lock horns with Australia in a five-match T20I series.

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